According to Michael Azerrad, the author of the first official biography of Nirvana (“Come as You Are”), Kurt Cobain felt a certain envy towards Dave Grohl.
He stated this in a new Rolling Stone US podcast dedicated to “In Utero,” which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary last week and will be commemorated on October 27th with a new super deluxe reissue.
Azerrad recalls that Cobain used to say that Dave Grohl was “the most balanced guy he knew.” Sometimes, he would poke fun at him. “I think Kurt teased Dave at least in part because Dave was pretty balanced and normal. He’s popular, not a misfit. He teased him because he wasn’t a sideshow freak like himself. And he was also envious. Yes, I believe Kurt was a bit envious because Dave had his act together.”
In the same podcast, manager Danny Goldberg remembers that after “Nevermind,” Cobain asked him if he needed Nirvana to make records. “I replied, ‘No, you don’t need them, but you also don’t have to choose between the two. You can do both. Many artists have solo projects as well as working with the band. That’s what I always imagined would happen in the future. Kurt didn’t like to repeat himself creatively.”